Author Interview: Tony Cane-Honeysett & FEM DOM

Tony Cane-Honeysett is an Emmy Award winning writer and filmmaker. His documentary work includes The Royal Academy and Mondo Bondo. A graduate of Ealing College of Art & Design in England, Tony was the recipient of the Individual Artist Fellowship awarded by The Tennessee Arts Commission in 2006. He has worked professionally as a copywriter in advertising for over 20 years in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nashville and Minneapolis. Tony was born in London, England.

Welcome to Between the Covers, Tony. Can you tell us why writing Fem Dom was so important to you?

It was a story I’d been carrying around in my head for ages and had to put it down on paper to see if it worked as well on the page as it did in my mind. I’d been looking to write a novel for many years and I felt Fem Dom had an edge to it that I’d never read before anywhere else.

How did you come up with the title?

Fem Dom is is an odd title. It’s a truncation of ‘Female Domination’ and is a common abbreviation in the BDSM world. Those who know that lifestyle would be familiar with the term and my hope is that those who are not will be sufficiently intrigued by it to want to know more. Hopefully, it’s quirky enough to stand out and get attention.

Which character in your book is the stronger one?

Tara Drew is the lead female role in the book and I feel she has the most powerful character arc. She’s not weak to begin with but she just goes from strength to strength in a gradually more demonstrative way.

The weakest one?

The weakest character is Kurt Fitzgerald. He appears to be stronger than everyone but like all tough guys, his prickly exterior hides a weaker persona within.

What part of your book has that WOW factor?

When Tara Drew unleashes her alter ego and astonishes everyone, including herself.

You’re self-employed, that’s marvelous! Can you tell us what a typical day is like for you?

I get up between 7-7.30 a.m. and start writing before I even shower or get dressed. That has to wait until I put in my 2-3 hours at the computer. If I’m shooting a client in my photography studio or filming on location, I spend the next few hours prepping. I always try to fit in a walk around the lake opposite my house and some days I hit the gym too. Being the chef in the house, I also have to figure out what the heck I’m going to cook every day or if I’m going to dine out. Invariably, my evening involves vino and sometimes some more writing depending how much the events of the day have worn me out!

I hear you have one an Emmy award or two? Congratulations! Can you tell us what they were for?

In 2004, I made a one-hour documentary called The Royal Academy. I wrote, directed, scored and edited it myself. It played at 26 film festivals worldwide and aired on PBS for 4 years between 2006-2010. It won two Emmy Awards, for Best Camera and Best Editing and was nominated in two other categories.

Since Fem Dom is your first published book, can you tell us what it’s like to be a debut author? The joys as well as the upsets?

It’s very satisfying holding the actual book in my hands. It’s the physical manifestation of an idea that came into my head one day and, for me, that’s pretty damn cool. My book will live on long after I’m gone, unless my demise is caused my an asteroid that smacks into the planet and everything is toast. That’ll be my only upset.

Thank you so much for this interview, Tony! Do you have any final words?

I meet so many people who say they’re going to write a book some day. I wonder what they’re waiting for? Someday never comes.